RICHMOND, Va. -- Ryan Newman does not believe Tony Stewart deceived him when he released him from Stewart-Haas Racing to make room for Kevin Harvick. At the time of the July announcement at New Hampshire, Stewart said the organization didnt have room for four drivers. A little over a month later, Kurt Busch was offered a contract to join the team. Furious fans have accused Stewart of lying to his longtime friend, which Newman said Thursday he does not believe was the case. "I dont think Tony at all lied to me," Newman said at Richmond International Raceway. "I dont have any of that feeling or emotion, and I dont think any of that matters because the plans that they made are for 2014 and I am not a part of that. I dont think there were any hidden agendas on Tonys behalf. Ive had a good relationship with him, and have been open with him, and my communication has been mostly with him in my whole relationship at Stewart-Haas Racing." It was SHR co-owner Gene Haas who did the deal with Busch without Stewarts knowledge, and most of it was completed while Stewart was incapacitated with a broken leg following his Aug. 5 sprint car crash. "I dont have any hard feelings," Newman said. "I know a lot of things became very tough for Tony once he became injured, and that (the Busch deal) kind of happened at the same time. Thats kind of like what we do in our business. Youve got to get through the tough times." Stewart has been bothered by the notion that he was not truthful to Newman, and said during his first news conference since the accident this week that he stopped watching all the NASCAR talk shows when former driver and current analyst Kyle Petty weighed in on the topic. "I was pretty disappointed to hear Kyle Petty say that we basically lied to Ryan and deceived Ryan," Stewart said. "Deceived was the word that he used actually. They said we deceived him ... in doing this." Although Stewart has had some conversations with Newman, he hasnt had a chance to have the talk hed like to about the Busch hiring. "Ryan and my relationship is still the same. Since this has happened the last week, I really havent had time to sit down with a heart to heart," Stewart said. "The biggest thing is I want him to focus on what were trying to accomplish this year, and even when we spoke earlier this year before we made the announcement at Loudon, we were both very adamant to each other that our friendship was going to stay the same and we both knew where each of us stood as far as the business side of this and understanding that it wasnt emotionally driven, that it was business driven, and that through this our friendship would stay the same, and this wont change that." For now, the focus is on Newman trying to make the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship for SHR. He heads into Saturday nights deciding race ranked 14th in the standings, 20 points behind 10th-place driver Busch, but with a win and a shot at claiming a wild card. Newman is trying to balance earning a spot in the Chase and putting together a plan for 2014, which he said Thursday hes close to announcing. Hes believed to be in line for a ride at Richard Childress Racing, and a deal likely became closer to completion this week with Wednesdays announcement that Jeff Burton wont return to the team next year. Newman admitted he spent time this week working on his 2014 deal, and also spent time on his farm, which was a nice distraction. "I spent some time this week working on next year, which I cant really talk a lot about, and some time on my farm because it was the first time it didnt rain," he said. "To me that helps balance out some of the mental sanity of dealing with next year. Ive actually watched and heard and saw some of Kurts comments on how hes focused on the race and how hes focused on the other stuff during the week, and Ive actually been the same way during the week." Lloyd Harrison Jersey Retro . As deep as their roster is, they need their superstar. Rose scored 23 points in his return from a five-game absence due to back pain, and Chicago hung on to beat the struggling Atlanta Hawks 90-79 on Monday. Brandon Weeden Jersey Retro . - Bryan Price sat down in the cushy chair. https://www.cheapjerseyslines.com/bud-cooper-jersey-retro/. The Brazilian-born strikers brace drew him level with Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo as the leagues leading scorers with 17 goals apiece through 16 rounds. "The important thing is to help the team win, not the goals," Diego Costa said. After a first half dominated by defence, Atletico pressed Valencia into its area and Diego Costa did the rest. Stitched Cheap Jerseys . Floundering in the English Premier League, United has delivered better performances in Europe this season and stunned Bayern by taking the lead against the run of play through Nemanja Vidics header in the 58th minute. Bayern had dominated possession but struggled to create a clear-cut chance before Schweinsteiger arrowed a half-volley high into the net in the 67th to give the German side a slight advantage ahead of the second leg in Munich next week. Mike Fitzgerald Jersey Retro . Ted Ligety, Mikaela Shiffrin, Bode Miller and Tim Jitloff underlined the squads enormous potential on the Rettenbach glacier in Austria.SOCHI - What she remembers most is what it felt like to stand on the blue-line, proudly watch the Canadian flag rise for the first time and hear OCanada belted out passionately amongst a sea of Americans. "Just that feeling of complete satisfaction," said Jayna Hefford. "Feeling like everything we went through paid off." It was 2002 in Salt Lake City and the first of three consecutive Olympic gold medals for the national womens hockey program with Hefford, a native of Kingston, Ontario, scoring the game-winning goal in triumph over Team USA. The bid for a fourth straight gold begins Saturday at Shayba Arena with a preliminary round matchup against Switzerland. "Its a memory and a feeling Ill never forget," said Hefford of winning gold for the first time, one of three on the roster to do so in 2002, 2006, and 2010. "It was a special time so Im hoping we can recreate it here [in Sochi]." Getting to that point is certain to include yet another round of hostilities with an American team bent on ending Canadas run of dominance at this event. Though theyve captured four of the past five World Championships, beating the Canadians each time, the US squad has fallen in two of the past three gold medal games, yet to triumph at the Olympics since 1998. "Obviously we haave a great rivalry with them," said Hefford, "but theres a lot of games before then and if we dont take care of ourselves here we could face them either earlier than we want in a medal round or not get to a medal round so its really day-by-day and I think thats the best way to look at it.dddddddddddd" These will be the fifth Olympics for Hefford, but she says the experience remains as fresh and exciting as it was 16 years ago when womens hockey was first introduced to the Olympic stage in Nagano - she and the Canadians were edged by the Americans in the gold medal game. "You still have that youthful energy and that excitement," she said. "Its so exciting to be here. You try to take lessons that you learned along the way and bring them into this one, but it still feels like the first one." And thats just one of the lessons shell try to impart on a group of teammates itching for their first taste of gold - enjoy the moment. "It goes by so quickly and you wait so long to get here so really just take in every day and enjoy that," said Hefford, also advising patience with the teams plan of attack. "Theres tough days and theres going to be challenges in these next two weeks, but believe that in the end we can be where we want to be." ' ' '